Container, having a hinged cover



July 2, 1957 R. K. GIBBS CONTAINER, HAVING A HINGED COVER Filed May 21,1954 INVENTOR A RNEY United States Patent CONTAINER, HAVING A HINGEDCOVER Robert Kenneth Gibbs, Evansville, Ind., assignor, by rnesneassignments, to Tri-State Plastic Molding Co., Inc., Henderson, Ky., acorporation of Kentucky Application May 21, 1954, Serial No. 431,492

Claims. (Cl. 220-31) This invention relates to boxes or containershaving hinged covers and, more particularly, to an improved hingeconstruction for a container and cover folded from a-plastic compositionmaterial.

There is a considerable demand for inexpensive covered containers,preferably with latching covers, which can be used for convenientstorage of miscellaneous items such as spools of thread, needles, bobbypins, jewelry, shell collections, etc. Preferably the constainers shouldbe simple, compact, and attractive in appearance. These requirements canbe met by molding the containers and covers from suitable plasticcomposition material which may be transparent, translucent, or opaque,as desired, and which may be either plain or colored.

However, ditficulty has been encountered in providing reliable hingeconnections between the container and cover in a simple and inexpensivemanner. Either the hinge connections have been complicated to fabricateor difficult to assemble, resulting in manufacturing expenses of anamount such that the end product can not be provided at a suflicientlylow cost, or they have been unsatisfactory and unreliable in service.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to a novel integralhinging arrangement for a container and cover molded from plasticcomposition material. The hinge elements are molded integrally with thecontainer and cover, assembled in a simple manner, and durable andrugged in use.

To this end, the rear or hinge wall of the body of the box is moldedwith a plurality of laterally adjacent, rearwardly projecting femalehinge members, each comprising an arcuate,, or concave-convex arm. Anodd number of these arms is provided, for example three or five, andalternate arms are concave in opposed directions so as to conjointlyprovide a receptacle for the male hinge element or pintle. The outerends of the arms facing in one direction are spaced vertically from theouter ends of the arm or arms facing in the opposed direction to leave aclearance opening somewhat less than thediameter of the hinge pintle.

The cover is formed as a relatively shallow receptacle having a rimaround i-ts'edges. The rear or hinge rim of the cover is formed with apair of rearwardly projecting ribs or ears between which is formed ahinge pintle extending in parallel spaced relation to the hinge end ofthe cover. The spacing between the inner faces of the ears issubstantially equal to the overall lateral extent of the arms on thehinge edge of the body. The pintle is cylindrical with a radiussubstantially equal to that of the concave surfaces of the arms on thecover, for engagement with such surfaces when the body and cover areassembled.

The body and cover are assembled by placing both in the upwardly openingposition with the inner surfaces of the ears aligned with the outerlateral edges of the outermost arms on the box. The cover is then forcedtoward the body so that the pintle slightly spreads the female hingeelements to allow for entry of the pintles thereinto.

As the pintle passes through the jaws of the female hinge elements, withthe ears engaging the outer lateral surfaces of the outermost arms onthe box, and move into the facing concavities, the female hinge elementsspring back into place to embrace the pintle and form the hingingstructure.

The cover may now be swung to closed position and, in such closedposition, or even a partly open position, cannot be displaced from thebody. The cover ears, engaged with the box arms, prevent displacementlongitudinally of the hinge line. If it is attempted to slide the coverrearwardly, either parallel to the body, or in any angular relationthereto less than about the rear cover rib strikes the upwardlyprojecting convex portion of the upper female element or elements beforethe pintle can move outwardly between the jaws of the female elements.Vertical displacement, of thecover is prevented by engagement of thepintle with the overlying and underlying female hinge elements.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference-is made tothe following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1v is a-perspective' view of acompleted box embodying theinvention; A

Fig. 2 is a partialplan view of the body and cover just prior toassembly;

Fig, 3 is a sectional: view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3- showing the body and cover partiallyinter-engaged;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the open box after assembly;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6.6 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 7 is, a partial side elevation view illustrating the l t h ngement.

Referring to. the drawings, the box 10 of the invention comprises, abody 15' and a hinged cover 39. Body 15 has a bottom wa-ll- 11, sideWalls 12, and a rear wall 13. The body 15 i molded. in one piece fromany suitable plastic composition material such as, for example, apolystyrene.

Along its upper edge, rear wall 13 is formed with laterally' adjacentfemale hinge arms or elements 20, 20', three elements being shown in theillustrated example. Each element is in the form of a relatively widestrap having a section 24,. 24' joining wall 13-and arcuate, orconcaveconvex portions 25, 25'. The arcuate portions 25 of ele ments 20have downwardly concave arcuate recess portions 26 and upwardlyconvexouter surfaces 21. The arcuate portions, 25 of elements 20' haveupwardly concave areuate recess portions 26 and downwardly convex outersurfaces 21 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6'). Arcuate portions26 and: 26 have acommon axis. and equal radii, the common axis being the box hinge line.

The elementsterrninate in outer edges 28, 29 which have a verticalspacing somewhat less than the diameter of the circle or cylinder formedby the respective arcuate por-' tions 26, 26'. It should be noted thatthe plastic composition material is somewhat resilient, so that elements20, 20' may be sprung apart to increase the gap between outer edges 28,29.

Cover 30 is also molded, as a one-piece member, from a suitable plasticcomposition material having some resiliency, a polystyrene being onesuch material by way of example. The cover is essentially a shallow dishhaving a fiat base 31 merging smoothly into a peripheral rim or flange32 of some depth. At points along the rear section 33 of rim 32, sospaced laterally as to align with the outermost lateral edges ofelements 20, cover 30 is molded with rearwardly projecting vertical armsor ribs or ears 35. Each rib has its upper and lower edges mergingsmoothly into flange section 33 and flat part 31 of the cover, and theouter ends of the ribs 35 are extended downwardly forming annularabutments 34 having radii substantially equal to the outer surface radiiof female hinge elements 20, 20.

Extending between the inner faces of cars 35, and molded integrally withthe ears and cover 30, is a hinge pintle 40 having a length equal to thedistance between the outermost edges of female elements 20. The radiusof pintle 40 is substantially equal to the inner radii of arcuaterecesses 26, 26' of the female hinge elements. Consequently, when thebody and cover are assembled, a smoothly conforming, closely fittinghinge arrangement is provided.

The cover 30 and body 15 are assembled by placing both in parallel,upwardly open relation, with the body walls and cover rim 32 facingupwardly and the rear edges of the body and cover adjacent and ribs' 35having their inner faces aligned with the outermost edges of femaleelements 20. The cover and body are then moved toward each other so thatears 35 embrace the outermost edges of elements 20 and pintle 40 engagesthe outer edges 28, 29 of female hinge elements 20, 20. As the cover andbody are forced toward each other, pintle 40 springs element 20 upwardlyand element 20' downwardly so that the pintles enter the respectivearcuate recesses 26' and 26, with the elements 20, 20' springing back toposition so that the pintle is firmly held by the female hinge elements.

Cover 30 can now be swung about the hinge line relative to body 15, andthe hinges can be disengaged only if the cover and body are again swungto the open substantially parallel position and a separating forceexerted thereon. However, unless the cover is swung to at least suchsubstantially parallel position, the cover and body cannot be disengagedwithout breaking the hinge elements, pintles, or ribs 35.

The latching arrangement includes a depending latch element 50 moldedintegrally with the front rim of cover 30, and a pair of short verticalribs 51, and a cross rib 52 extending therebetween, molded integrallywith body 15. Element 50 is bevelled on its inner surface adjacent itsouter end, as at 53, and has a transverse groove 54 on its inner surfaceadjacent its juncture with the rim of cover 30. Ribs 51 are spaced apartthe width of element 50, and serve as restraining guides therefor. Asthe cover is closed, bevel 53 rides over rib 52 flexing element 50, andrib 52 snaps into groove 54. Unlatching is effected by engaging a fingernail beneath the outer end of element 50.

The box is easily and simply manufactured and assembled. The body 15 andcover 30 can be production line molded simultaneously with each other,with the operation so arranged that a cover and body arrivesimultaneously at an assembly point. At this point, or at a stationprovided with supplies of bodies and covers, the box is simply assembledby the process previously described, without complicated procedures orthe employment of highly skilled labor.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principlesthereof, it should be understood that the invention may be otherwiseembodied without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A box comprising, in combination, a body molded from plasticcomposition material and having a base and boundary walls, one of saidwalls having projecting outwardly from its upper edge an odd number oflongitudinally spaced female hinge elements in laterally adjacentrelation and extending generally parallel to said base; adjacentelements being shaped to provide diametrically opposite, coaxiallyelongated, and substantially semicylindrical hinge pintle bearingsurfaces with the alternate female hinge elements having downwardlyfacing bearing surfaces, and the intermediate female hinge elementshaving upwardly facing bearing surfaces; and a cover molded from plasticcomposition material and comprising a flat portion substantiallycongruent with said base and integral with a peripheral rim coextensivewith the upper surfaces of said boundary walls, the rim of said coverhaving projecting therefrom a pair of ears spaced laterally from eachother to embrace the outer lateral edges of the outermost female hingeelements and integral with a substantially cylindrical hinge pintleextending between said ears in spaced parallel relation to the cover rimand having a radius substantially equal to that of said bearingsurfaces; the outer ends of adjacent female elements being so related asto provide a circumferential discontinuity in the pintle bearingsurfaces of less extent than the diameter of said pintle; said coverbeing assembled to said body by engaging said pintle in said bearingsurfaces by spreading the outer ends of said elements with said earsembracing the laterally outermost female elements.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1 in which said elements comprise resilientstraps formed with concave-convex portions providing said bearingsurfaces.

3. A box as claimed in claim 1 in which said elements comprise resilientstraps formed with concave-convex portions providing said bearingsurfaces; at least one of said concave-convex portions extending abovesaid one wall to engage the cover rim to obstruct movement of said coverparallel to said base.

4. A box as claimed in claim 1 in which said elements comprise resilientstraps formed with concave-convex portions providing said bearingsurfaces; the convex surfaces, of the elements having downwardly facingbearing surfaces, extending above said one wall to engage the cover rimto obstruct movement of said cover parallel to said base.

5. A box as claimed in claim 1 including two outer hinge elements withdownwardly facing bearing surfaces and an intermediate hinge elementwith an upwardly facing bearing surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,342,477 Magnenat Feb. 22, 1944 2,527,318 Magnus Oct. 24, 19502,605,926 Casey Aug. 6, 1952 2,637,460 Yates May 5, 1953 2,677,479 KibaMay 4, 1954

